The display of merchandise in mass merchandising outlets and the like typically involves extensive shelving installations. Typical forms of display shelving comprise gondola structures forming support stands for the shelving. The gondolas may comprise a base from which extends a back wall panel including .two or more vertical uprights formed with slots or other openings to receive shelving at various levels. Stores frequently try to position shelves with relatively minimal vertical clearance between the contents of one shelf and the position of the shelf next above, in order to maximize the number of shelves, and therefore the amount of merchandise displayed, in a given gondola. However, as vertical shelf spacing becomes more compressed, it becomes more difficult to stock and service individual shelves, particularly lower shelves, because of the difficulty and inconvenience in reaching the back areas of the shelves.
To facilitate access to back portions of the display shelves, some stores install pull-out shelving. Pull-out shelves are mounted at their opposite side edges in such way as to enable them to be temporarily displaced forwardly from the back wall of the gondola, exposing significantly greater areas of the shelf surface, and thereby enabling store personnel to more easily restock and otherwise service the merchandise display. A known form of such pull-out shelving is illustrated in International Publication WO 01/21040 of H. L. Display A. B. The disclosed shelf structure includes a pair of spaced apart side supports which engage opposite end edges of a display shelf, using roller tracks or the like to accommodate easy movement of the shelf even when loaded with product. Locking means are positioned underneath the shelf and are engageable by an operator servicing the shelf, enabling the shelf to be freed up for forward and rearward movement, but locking the shelf firmly in position when released. This allows the shelf to be pulled out for servicing, and then easily returned to its normal display position.
A shelf of the type disclosed in WO 01/21040, while functionally satisfactory, is of relatively complex, and therefore relatively costly construction, which tends to inhibit its widespread usage. The present invention is directed to an improved pull-out shelf structure, of the general type disclosed in WO 01/21040 which, at the same time not only provides superior performance but also is of a significantly improved and simplified (and therefore more economical) construction, and thus more suitable for more widespread employment in mass merchandising and other outlets.